Paramount To Stay In Business With Producer Ivan Reitman, Merrill Lynch

The deal gives Paramount a first look at Montecito productions
and provides them with a co-financing option on those titles
through Montecito's Cold Spring Pictures, which was set up in
2006 with Merrill Lynch.

Evidently, Merrill's commitment to Cold Spring hasn't been hurt
by the bank's absorption into BofA, unless another bank is
administering this deal like JP Morgan is with Merrill's 2007
United Artists deal.

The deal is a boon for Paramount, which needs financing partners,
like all studios do, but was recently unable to reach a
slate-financing agreement with Deutsche Bank. Speaking of
Wall-Street financing deals, Merrill's involvement in Melrose
Partners, a poorly performing slate agreement with Paramount that
has since devolved into a lawsuit, apparently hasn't hindered the
bank's relationship with the studio.